Rumor: Joss Whedon and Marvel Eye Elizabeth Olsen for THE AVENGERS 2 as the Scarlet Witch

It looks like Saoirse Ronan (Hanna) may have passed on the role of Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch in Joss Whedon’s The Avengers 2. Now, it appears as if Whedon and Marvel have turned to Elizabeth Olsen (Martha Marcy May Marlene) to play the heroine. If Olsen seals the deal, she’ll star opposite Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kick-Ass 2), who is the frontrunner to play Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver in the sequel. While Ronan certainly would have been a capable performer on both the action and dramatic fronts, Olsen has yet to disappoint in her young career. Hit the jump for more.

Bleeding Cool reported on the new possible casting of Olsen as Scarlet Witch in The Avengers 2. They also remind us that the Marvel film won’t be able to tie her character’s backstory into that of Magneto; Bryan Singer will, however, and he’ll have his own version of Quicksilver in X-Men: Days of Future Past, to be played by Evan Peters. Whedon previously talked about the inclusion of Scarlet Witch and Quiksilver in the Marvel sequel, saying:

“You know, they had a rough beginning. They’re interesting to me because they sort of represent the part of the world that wouldn’t necessarily agree with The Avengers. So they’re not there to make things easier. I’m not putting any characters in the movie that will make things easier.”

Quicksilver (a.k.a. “Pietro Maximoff) has the power of super-speed and Scarlet Witch can cast “hexes” which manipulate probability, alter reality, and are a form of “chaos magic”. It remains to be seen whether her powers will be toned down a bit or exactly how they’ll be worked in to the plot and the superhero team at large. Olsen – or whoever eventually lands the role – is also expected to sport a European accent for the part.

Olsen has a number of high-profile films coming up, including Spike Lee’s Oldboy and Gareth Edwards’ Godzilla reinterpretations.

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